Method of and apparatus for forming heels



. r I Fe 10. 1925;

v E. E. WINKLEY 7 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HEELS OriginalFiled July 25, 1918 Patented Feb. 1( 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,525,788 PATENT. OFFICE.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEX, OE LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MA-CHINERY. CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HEELS.

Application filed July 25, 1918, Serial No. 246,628, Renewed October2-4, 1922. Serial No. 596,671.

To 06 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. lVINKLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of andApparatus for Forming Heels; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand usethe same.

This invention relates to the manufacture of boot and shoeheelscomprising a plurality of superposed lifts, and it has specialreference to heel assembling devices and methods employed in connectiontherewith for assembling and definitely aligning and positioning thecomponent lifts thereof to form a heel of a particular-shape.

In Letters Patent No. 123,736, granted Feb. 13, 1872, to Shaw, thereisfldisclosed a boot or shoe having a two part bottom comprising a shortoutsole and a recessed heel embodying a plurality of normal sized liftsand a relatively short base-lift so positioned with respect thereto asto provide a rabbet extending transversely across the breast end of theheel-seat to receive the shank-end of the shortoutsole.

In order to economically manufacture such recessed heels of high grade,it is desirable thatthe component lifts thereof shall be accuratelyaligned and positioned both laterally and with relation to their breastedges before being compressed and consolidated in the usual heelcompressor. Such a heel is thus adapted to closely fit throughout itsentire surface within the mold of the heel compressor, wherebythepressure to which it is subjected is equally distributed throughoutthe heel and results in a uniformly consolidated product of superiorquality. 7 V

Accordingly, it is oneof the primary vobjects of this invention toprovide a simple,

effective and reliable assembling device for producing an accuratelyaligned inulti=liftf provide a simple and expeditious methodofassembling and aligning the component lifts of a heel to produce a heelhaving the above indicated characteristics.

So far as the broad features of the inven tion are concerned, it isobviously immaterial whether the lifts be definitely positioned oraligned one at a time or concurrently, since the apparatus permitseither mode of assembling the heel with accurate results.

Other objects of the invention and features by means of which they areattained will become apparent from the following description of thepreferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, a smallportion thereof being broken away for clearness of illustration; Fig. 2is a top plan view with the aligning device in position; Fig. 3 is aright hand end elevation; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1,showing the base lift in its final position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the bedplate 2 has an upwardly projecting portion 4 adapted to support a fixedupright plate (3. Resting upon the bed plate opposite the plate 6 is ablock 8 fixed to a rod 10 slidably mounted in a bearing 12 so that theblock is movable toward and away from the plate 6. Secured to the bedplate'at each side of the plate 6 and the block 8 are guide bars 14. Theplate 6, the block 8, theguide bars and the bed plate form respectivelythe four sides and the bottom of a heel holding form adapted to receivethe lifts 16 with their breasts aligned against the bed plate. The guidebars serve as lateral edge guides for the lifts and are beveled, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to facilitate the placing of the liftstherebetween, and they also diverge from the plate 6t'o accommodate thepitch of the heel pile. The guide bars, as shown, may be secured to thebed plate with pro vision for adjustment thereon toward and away fromeach other and angularly to adapt themfor use in connection with heelpiles of varying sizes and styles. Means; in addition to the breast gage2 is provided for insuring accurate alignment of the breast edges of thelifts, comprising an arm 18 which is pivoted at 20 between ears 22rising from the bed plate and which is provided with an inclined liftengaging surface 24 and a handle 26. This arm 18 normally occupies aninoperative position against a stop 28, as indicated in Fig. 1, but isadapted to be swung downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4, so asto bring the inclined surface 2% into engagement with the rear edges ofthe lifts and press the lifts downwardly, if necessary, until theirbreast edges rest squarely upon the bed plate. All

of the lifts except the short base-lift may be thus correctly positionedrelative to each other by the means above described.

The means for positioning the base-lift comprises a bifurcated bellcrank lever 30 fulcrumed at 32 on opposite sides of the block 8. -Theupwardly extending arms of the lever 30 unite above the block 8 andterminate in a. handle 34. The free arms 36 of the lever project intogrooves 38 formed in the bed plate and extend beyond the block 8 andinto the heel form a sutlicient distance to enable them to function as abreast gage for the base-lift when swung upwardly. Normally, the freearms 36 he in the grooves 88 and just below the top surface of the bedplate, so that they will not interfere with the pleliminary positioningof the lifts if the heel is introduced as a whole. The handle 34 may beswung to the right, from the position shown in Fig. 1, causing the arms36 to raise the base-lift, by an engagement with its breast, to aposition against the arm 18, as shown in Fig. 4.

The device is used in the following manner. It is preferred to have thelifts, which are of different sizes, assembled in proper orderpreparatory to being operated upon by the device, and delivered inseparated piles by any convenient and suitable means to a receivingtable within reach of the operator. Each pile will have assembledtherewith at its heel-seat end a short base-lift of the kind shown inthe drawings. As each pile is placed in the holding device the guidebars 14 clause the lifts to be correctly positioned laterally relativelyto each other. By pressing the arm 18 downwardly against the upwardlyprojecting rear edges of the lifts, those which are out of alignment arepushed downwardly and the breast edges of all the lifts are squarely andaccurately aligned against the breast gage 2. The short baselift dropsby gravity against the bed plate when the lever 30 is in its forwardposition (see Fig. 1) and, therefore, is not engaged and positioned withrelation to the others by the arnrlS. Since the base-lift lies in thepath of the upward movement of the bell crank arms 36, the movement ofthe handle 3% to swing these arms upwardly will cause the base-lift tobe raised until its rear edge engages the inclined surface 24 on the arm18, when it will be positioned correctly with relation to the otherlifts. The breast edge of the base-lift will thus be accurately indenteda predetermined amount relatively to the breast edges of the other liftsso as to form a rabbet adapted to receive the shank end of a shortoutsole. The final form of the breastof the heel is thus determined bythe bed plate 2 and lever arms 36 forming together a complete breastgage for the type of heel being produced.

hen all the lifts have been thus accuately aligned, pressure is appliedto the block 8 through the rod 10 by any suitable means, not shown inthe drawing, so as to hold the lifts firmly while they are being securedtogether by the driving of a nail through the pile from the top-lift tobaselift. As shown in Fig. 1, the plate 6 carries a nail throat 10 whichextends bet-ween the cars 22 parallel to the bed plate through whichnails may be driven into the heel pile by a nail driver shown in Fig. lat 42. The driver may be operated by any usual or suitable means.

lVhile the drawings illustrate the invention as embodied in a deviceadapted to receive the lifts in upright position upon a horizontalsupport, it is to be understood that this arrangement of the apparatusis not essential. Furthermore, while, as stated, it is preferred tointroduce the component lifts of the heel-pile into: the holding deviceas a unit, it is within the scope of the invention to introduce thelifts or other com porent parts of the heel singly, that is, to l 'aildthe heel in the holding device, as is now the custon'iary heel buildingpractice.

lVhile, for illustrative purposes the invention is set forth inconnection with a form of assembling or heel-lift positioning deviceembodying specific structural details, arrangement and location of partsand mode of operation, it should be understood that, broadly considered,this special type of apparatus is merely exemplary of one of many formsof devices constructed and operated in accordance with the invention,and that many and material modifications may he made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. A heel-lift positioning device comprisingmeans for holding a pile of lifts with their breast edges in alignment,and means 'for displacing one of said lifts to set its breast edge backfrom the plane of the breast edges of the other lifts without destroyingthe stacked relationship of the lifts.

2. A heel-lift positioning device comprising a heel form having asupport for the breast edges of a pile of lifts, means for i'naintainingsaid lift in stacked relation: and means for displacing one of saidlifts rearwardly with relation to the other lifts of the pile.

3. A heel-lift positioning devicehaving, in combination, a support forthe breast edges of a pile of lifts, means for supporting the end lifts,edge guides for position in combination, a bottom support for the breastedges of a pile of lifts assembled in properorder to form a heel, meansfor supporting the ends of said pile, means normally engaging the baselift and adapted to be actuated to raise said base lift relatively tothe others, and means for preventing the other lifts from being moved bythe raising of said base lift.

5. A heel-lift positioning device for holding a pile of lifts includinga comparatively short base lift in stacked relation, having, incombination, an aligning surface oppositethe breast edges of said lifts,a movable member adapted to be placed in position to engage the. rearedges of all of the lifts eX cept the base lift and bring their breastedges into alignment against said surface, and means for moving saidbase lift into engagement with said positioning member to position itwith its breast edge set back from the breast edges of the other lifts.

6. A heel-lift positioning device, compr sing a heel form for receivinga heel pile composed of a plurality of lifts of normal size and a shortblase lift, and means associated with said form for aligning the breastsof said normal lifts and positioning said short base lift at the rear ofthe lift next adjacent to it.

7. A heel-lift positioning device having, in combination, a bed platefor supporting the breast edges of a plurality of lifts assembled in aheel pile, means for supporting the end lifts, lifting means for raisingthe base lift relatively to the others, and a member adapted to hold theother lifts firmly against said bed plate while said base lift is beingraised and to limit the upward movement of the base lift.

8. A heel-lift positioning device having, in combination, a bottomsupporting plate for the breast edges of a stack of lifts including acomparatively short base li ft, means for holding the lifts in stackedre iation, means for positioning the lifts laterally, a positioningmember adapted to engage the rear edges of all the lifts except the baselift, to press said lifts toward said bottom supporting plate so as toaid in positioning them, means for engaging the base lift and moving itinto contact with said positioning member so as to bring its rear edgeinto correct position relatively to the rear edges of the other lifts,and means for securing the lifts together.

9. The method of forming heels which consists in stacking together aplurality of lifts with their breast edges in alignment,

and subsequently without destroying the stacked relation of the liftsdisplacing one of the end lifts so that its breast edge is set back fromthe plane of the breast edges of the other lifts.

10. The method of forming heels which consist-sin stacking a pluralityof lifts with their breast edges in alignment including a comparativelyshort base lift, and in sub sequently displacing said base liftrearwardly to set its breast edge out of alignment with the breast edgesof the other lifts.

11. The method of forming heels which consists in assembling a pluralityof lifts in stacked relation with their breast edges aligned, said liftshaving associated therewith a short base lift, thereafter positioningsaid base lift at the rear of the lift next adjacent it forming a rabbetat the breast of the heel-seat, and finally securing all the liftstogether.

12. A heel assembling device having, in' combination, means for holdingin stacked relation the component lifts of a heel including a shortbase-lift, and breast gaging means constructed and arranged to align thebreast edges of the normal lifts and position the short base lift withits breast edge indented relatively to the breast formed by the alignednormal lifts.

13. A heel assembling device having, in combination, means for holdingin stacked relation the component lifts of a heel including a shortbase-lift, separate gaging members for the breast edges of the normallifts and of the short base-lift, and means co -operating therewith toalign said lifts with the breast edge of the base-lift indentedfefltatively to the breast edges of the normal 14. A heel assemblingdevice having, in combination, means for holding in stacked relation thecomponent lifts of a heel including a short base-lift, and a pluralityof relatively movable members for severally engaging the breast and rearedges of each lift for definitely positioning each lift so that thebreast edges of all of the normal lifts are in alignment and the breastedge of the short base-lift is indented from the breast edges of thealigned normal lifts.

15. A heel assembling device having, in combination, means for engagingthe end faces of the component lifts of a heel including a shortbase-lift to hold them in stacked relation, and gaging means againstwhich the breast edges of all of the lifts are positioned to align thebreast edges of the normal lifts and to definitely locate the shortbase-lift with its breast edge indented from those of the aligned normallifts.

16. A heel assembling device having, in

which the breast edges of the lifts engage constructed and arranged toindent the base lift with respect ,to the, normal lifts, and means foractuating each one of said lifts to effect its full engagement with saidgaging means.

17. A heel assembling device having, in combination, means for holdingin stacked relation a plurality of normal lifts and a short base-lift,and means cO-operating with said holding means for aligning all of saidlifts and for positioning the short base-lift with its breast edgeindented from those of the aligned normal lifts.

' 18. A heel assembling device having, in combination, means forreceiving the loosely assembled component lifts of aheel includingashort base-lift in stacked relation with their breast edges inalignment, and means for effecting a relative transverse displacementbetween said short base-lift and the remainder of the lifts to produceaheel having the breast edge of its short base-lift indented from thoseof the aligned normal lifts, I

19. A heel assembling device having, in combination, clamping membersfor engagingv the end lifts of a heel which comprises a pluralityof'normal lifts and a. short baselift indented from the breast surfaceformed by the normal lifts, means for positioning the normal liftsbetween the clamps to form a fiat breast, and separate means forpositioning the short lift in its indented relation to the normal lifts.

20. A heel assembling device having, in combination, means for clampingthe component lifts of a heel including a short baselift, and meansintermediate said clamps for aligning the breast edges of all the liftsexcept said short lift and for locating said short lift in a positionindented from the breast surface thus formed.

ERASTUS E. XVINKLEY.

